the stuff with russ convinced me to flip.

[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.
 
[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.


And then, separately from the vote since I could see it adding to the arguments both for and against, I just wanted to point out that around this point:
"Not a problem, Heinz." He says. You asked him to call you that. "What does it do?"

"Oh, just something about messing with time, get more hours in the day. Pretty standard stuff." You reply idly, sitting down on one end of your workbench. Xanatos takes the other end of the black counter, idly examining a white microscope.
There is a very good chance that, under his poker face, Xanatos might've been thinking something along the lines of 'Oh god, is this the day? Is this the day he messes with another fundamental pillar of reality and we get a sequel to the Kuiper-Belt-scale probability fiasco?'.

As one of the very few people to know what really happened there (and by our whims been forewarned of the consequences), I imagine it's an oft-repeated line of thought.
 
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Yeah, the narrative reasoning and the "piece-player relationship" metaphor convinced me. Being reminded of what Russ said at the auction and the in-depth analysis of the conversation just hammered it home.

[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.

We can still become friends with David by taking collaborations and just general outreach.
 
You know, I don't know if this will work for or against my given choice of vote, but the whole situation struck me as rather familiar, and then I remembered something similar happened not long ago.

[ ] Bet on the Horse That's Winning
Winston's not a supervillain, and besides you were never really a pep-talk person. Sinatron's probably right.

Outcome: Sinatron is poised to take a leading role. Sinatron is likely to become Olympia's Kingpin in all but name. The man knows what he's doing.

[ ] You Just Have to Learn to be More Assertive
See if you can get Winston to stand up for himself! Ideally through evil means, but you'll take what you can get. You kinda like the guy. Nobody ever listens to your backstories anymore, especially not the pleasant ones. The sad ones have a sort of… bile fascination to them.

Outcome: Winston has a better chance of holding his own, even if he might not be able to do it all by himself. Olympia is more agreeable with Winston around, but he doesn't quite have the chops for skullduggery.
You can change a couple of names and it remains surprisingly fitting. Perhaps even a bit insightful.

Now, some could argue that the context is quite different and Doof isn't going to lose DEI to Xanatos on paper, others could say that we made the manipulative choice by backing the horse that we had more influence over, and yet others could point that we did it in honest sympathy for Winston. It can also be said that the difference in stats and benefits is much too different for the situations to be comparable. Regardless of the interpretation, I just find it amusing that were in Xanatos' shoes for a bit, roughly speaking.

Anyway. The way I like to see it, we chose trust and friendship over the potential benefits of the more pragmatic ally with potential for throwing us under the bus. Also, narratively speaking, it would be odd in my eyes for Doof to encourage Winston to take charge rather than submit, only for he himself to fold to Xanatos that very same turn.
 
[X] Develop Your Center

Normally, I'm all in favor of making numbers go up, but I've been convinced on the narrative side to vote for this little extra bit of independence.
 
Also, narratively speaking, it would be odd in my eyes for Doof to encourage Winston to take charge rather than submit, only for he himself to fold to Xanatos that very same turn.
Well, I was initially leaning toward accepting his offer, but that convinced me.

[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.

I do still want to work more closely with Xanatos. But, as he himself has pointed out, we haven't really interacted enough to be friends. In-character, we don't know that he can be trusted with our deepest secrets. So, let's maintain our independence from him, such as it is, and later on we can work with him on more equal footing.
 
Dawn. I.. I have to change my vote. With burnbrights analysis I.. I can't give xanatos more power over us


[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on
 
Actually, something occurred to me about the Probabilitor-Inator.

We've been assuming that Xanatos's view of Doof is that he's a wildcard, but a potentially useful one. And we've also been assuming that his reaction to the warning that probability was temporarily askew was trying to hide panic or astonishment.

"I see." Xanatos said through clenched teeth. His fists balled for a single, brief moment, before he released the tension and replied continued in a controlled, clipped burst. "If you'll excuse me Doctor, I believe there are a few plans I need to get in order."

Looking at the few tells he was showing, it's very possible that he was trying to not lose his temper. Doof effectively tossed a crisis into his lap, one that apparantly forced him to abandon some of his plans for that turn in favor of putting out probability-related fires. And we all know how enjoyable that is. Yes, it was an opportunity for him in a lot of ways, but not necessarily a well timed one.

Xanatos might view us as a potentially useful wildcard, but also a potential threat that needs to be controlled.

I think, in light of that, it's probably really important that we keep him abreast of anything we get up to that could affect him. Not necessarily by accepting his offer, but in some fashion.
 
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You know, I wonder if it's possible to create an (informal) information sharing agreement with another faction. Not for the kind of information high level infiltration would get you, of course. But sharing some of your intelligence work with each other in a way that doesn't endanger ones own agents could be beneficial to both sides.
Right now, the optimal partner would be Olympia, of course. Their lack of infosec and stability means they can't be trusted with too much, but still. They could use the help, and another set of eyes would be useful for us.
Xanatos would also make sense in the future. He could be trusted not to have leaks on his side, and sharing (selected) information freely would reduce the incentive to infiltrate.
 
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[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.
 
[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.

The big post and the talk of Russ has convinced me to pull for this. Even though it pains my big number loving heart.
 
You know, I wonder if it's possible to create an (informal) information sharing agreement with another faction. Not for the kind of information high level infiltration would get you, of course. But sharing some of your intelligence work with each other in a way that doesn't endanger ones own agents could be beneficial to both sides.
Right now, the optimal partner would be Olympia, of course. Their lack of infosec and stability means they can't be trusted with too much, but still. They could use the help, and another set of eyes would be useful for us.
Xanatos would also make sense in the future. He could be trusted not to have leaks on his side, and sharing (selected) information freely would reduce the incentive to infiltrate.
We already have that arrangement with Xanatos. We meet him every few months.
 
[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.

Can't not add this subvote after reading Burnbright's breakdown.
 
[X] Take Xanatos' Promotion

Edited because I thought about it and liked this story more.
 
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[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.
 
We already have that arrangement with Xanatos. We meet him every few months.
If that is what it turns out to be? We haven't really seen the effects of that yet. But yeah, good point.
I'd still think that proper information sharing would be more up-to-date. If we receive a report we know is relevant to Xanatos and that we can send on to him without compromising ourself, send it to him now instead of maybe telling him in a few months.

[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.
 
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[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.
 
[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.
 
[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.

I like the addition, it feels like a good way to illustrate our choice.
 
[X] Develop Your Center
-[X] Pick up the boxed in screw and use it somewhere in the Inator you're working on.

Goddangit the write-in subvote convinced me. I'm a simple man, I see cool potential symbolism and I go for it.
 
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